The Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, scheduled the hearing for April 21 while extending an interim order that exempts DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin from appearing physically before lower courts in cases related to his ‘Sanatana Dharma’ remarks. The court also ruled that no new FIRs should be registered on the same issue. During the proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Maharashtra government, argued that if a Chief Minister from another state had made similar remarks about Islam, the reaction would have been vastly different. However, the Chief Justice refrained from commenting, stating that it could influence the trial.
Stalin, represented by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, requested that all FIRs against him across multiple states, including Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, and Maharashtra, be clubbed together for a single trial in Tamil Nadu or Karnataka. The Supreme Court had earlier, on March 4, strongly criticized Stalin’s remarks, pointing out that as a minister, he should be aware of the consequences of his statements. The bench questioned whether he could misuse his rights to freedom of speech and religion and then seek protection from the court under Article 32 of the Constitution.
The controversy erupted after Stalin compared ‘Sanatana Dharma’ to diseases like malaria and dengue, arguing that it was based on caste discrimination and needed to be eradicated. His remarks led to widespread political outrage and multiple criminal complaints across the country. The Supreme Court’s intervention now aims to determine whether these cases should be consolidated and heard in a single jurisdiction.
Post Your Comments